Web-based, virtual course units as a didactic concept for medical teaching.

The objective was to develop a web-based, virtual series of lectures for evidence-based, standardized knowledge transfer independent of location and time with possibilities for interactive participation and a concluding web-based online examination. Within the framework of a research project, specific Intranet and Internet capable course modules were developed together with a concluding examination. The concept of integrating digital and analogue course units supported by sound was based on FlashCam (Nexus Concepts), Flash MX (Macromedia), HTML and JavaScript. A Web server/SGI Indigo Unix server was used as a platform by the course provider. A variety of independent formats (swf, avi, mpeg, DivX, etc.) were integrated in the individual swf modules. An online examination was developed to monitor the learning effect. The examination papers are automatically forwarded by email after completion. The results are also returned to the user automatically after they have been processed by a key program and an evaluation program. The system requirements for the user PC have deliberately been kept low (Internet Explorer 5.0, Flash-Player 6, 56 kbit/s modem, 200 MHz PC). Navigation is intuitive. Users were provided with a technical online introduction and a FAQ list. Eighty-two students of dentistry in their 3rd to 5th years of study completed a questionnaire to assess the course content and the user friendliness (SPSS V11) with grades 1 to 6 (1 = 'excellent' and 6 = 'unsatisfactory'). The course units can be viewed under the URL: http://giga.rrze.uni-erlangen.de/movies/MKG/trailer and URL: http://giga.rrze.uni-erlangen.de/movies/MKG/demo/index. Some 89% of the students gave grades 1 (excellent) and 2 (good) for accessibility independent of time and 83% for access independent of location. Grades 1 and 2 were allocated for an objectivization of the knowledge transfer by 67% of the students and for the use of video sequences for demonstrating surgical techniques by 91% of the students. The course units were used as an optional method of studying by 87% of the students; 76% of the students made use of this facility from home; 83% of the students used Internet Explorer as a browser; 60% used online streaming and 35% downloading as the preferred method for data transfer. The course units contribute to an evidence-based objectivization of multimedia knowledge transfer independent of time and location. Online examinations permit automatic monitoring and evaluation of the learning effect. The modular structure permits easy updating of course contents. Hyperlinks with literature sources facilitate study.